


A Premonition

by musikurt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-22
Updated: 2008-07-22
Packaged: 2017-11-02 23:18:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/374468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Used the quote "With great power comes great responsibility" for inspiration.  Post DH.</p>
    </blockquote>





	A Premonition

**Author's Note:**

> Used the quote "With great power comes great responsibility" for inspiration. Post DH.

Minerva McGonagall decided long ago that she had heard more than enough of Sibyll Trelawney’s random ramblings, but had found it more polite and befitting her position to continue to tolerate it. While he was alive, she would have been reluctant to question the former Headmaster, and obviously he had seen some value in keeping her on the faculty. Being someone of logical mind, McGonagall was herself very skeptical of Divination from the start, and in her time on staff, her fellow Hogwarts professor had not done the subject any real service in her eyes.

It was no surprise during her time as Head of Gryffindor that most of the students in her charge were also very skeptical of Divination and often listed it among their least favorite subjects. She could indeed recall very few that wished to pursue study beyond their fifth year and could count on one hand the number that actually put in the time and effort to score well on the Divination NEWTs. It was a fact on which she secretly prided herself; it was a disapproval of the subject that required no formal or official position on her part.

On a few occasions, she questioned whether her personal opinion had any effect on her students. Trelawney had accused her of this fact numerous times, but she dismissed it more readily than a flick of her wand. She had gone to great lengths to shield her distaste and had become quite good at it, if one wanted to solicit her own opinion in the matter. Long story short, it was a bunch of rubbish and whether she told them so or not, Gryffindor students were intelligent enough, in most cases, to catch on to that fact.

*************************

Sibyll Trelawney had given up on the cause of Minerva McGonagall. After years of trying to help her to understand the Art of Divination, a complicated and often misunderstood art, she knew she would never get through to someone who saw her own subject as superior to all others. Normally, Trelawney would write this off as McGonagall’s loss, but recent visions urged her to try again.

Sure, she was willing to admit that over the years she had misinterpreted signs, had unwittingly conducted readings with a clouded Third Eye, and had herself acted in ways that may have rendered some of her perfectly good predictions moot. No witch is perfect with her magic one hundred percent of the time and with Divination, it was certainly no different. One would not dismiss a Charms professor who occasionally botched a spell or two or who was responsible for a failed experiment.

Trelawney’s recent visions were very troubling. She had seen dark forces making their way into Hogwarts. She had sensed great danger to the new Headmistress and was indeed concerned for her safety. It was not unusual for her to see The Grim in a person’s tea or sense doom and gloom for many of her students, but these visions were more vivid than normal. She knew there was something calling out to her and she had to do something.

Charged with her premonitions, Trelawney was at a loss in determining where to begin. McGonagall was already skeptical and clearly wanted nothing less than to ever hear one of her predictions again. She had been worried about her status as a faculty member ever since Dumbledore’s death, and rocking the boat in this case certainly would not help her cause. She and Minerva were friends, but that did not mean that either woman set aside who she was or what she believed personally or professionally for that friendship to survive. But it was thinking about that friendship that forced her into a decision. She felt her body tense up as she climbed the spiral staircase to the Headmistress’s office.

*************************

“Enter.” McGonagall’s voice sounded strained and tired. Trelawney opened the door slowly and eased her way into the room. She saw McGonagall seated firmly at her desk, her head buried in the stacks of papers that covered it.

“Do..you….have a moment?” Trelawney was surprised at how quietly her words made their way from her lips.

“Certainly, Sibyll. I’m just trying to get everything caught up in here. It appears that the late Professor Snape did not have much time for administrative tasks last year while he was balancing his various other tasks on behalf of the Death Eaters and the Order.”

She took a deep breath to prepare herself. She had been thinking all day about how to phrase this but had not yet settled on what she felt was the best option. “Minerva, I know you have always been skeptical of the Art of Divination, but—“

“Really, Sibyll, is that what you made your way over here to talk about? I highly doubt that after all these years, you are suddenly going to convince me to have a change of heart.”

“I do not intend to force you into anything of the sort. I merely felt I had a responsibility and duty to share with you a recurring vision that I simply cannot shake from my mind.”

“Let me guess, “ McGonagall chuckled as she flashed a menacing smile, “I should beware The Grim? Is he looking over my shoulder?”

“Minerva!” Trelawney felt a twinge of anger in response to her friend’s mockery. “This is certainly no joke. Believe me, I have debated for more than a few days now about whether this was something to bring to your attention. The visions are simply so strong and unique that I felt I had a duty to warn you of what is to come.”

McGonagall leaned back in her chair, a blank expression on her face. “Well, let us have it then…”

“Minerva, there is a dark force trying to make its way into Hogwarts. A very dark force. And, from what I can gather, it has one target. The target, I fear, is you.”

Her friend sat staring blankly at the wall behind her for what seemed like several minutes before speaking. “Sibyll. It is not that I do not wish to believe you, because really, I do. Unfortunately, your track record with me leads me to dismiss this warning like I have all of the rest. Is there ever anything more specific that you see?”

“I can only see what the Third Eye allows.” Trelawney felt herself sulk slightly and she had a feeling she should just turn around and leave.

“Well, I will keep my eyes open, but I cannot do more than that with the information you have given me.”

Trelawney turn toward the door.

*************************

In the next moment Sibyll Trelawney found herself at the bottom of the stairs in the middle of a panicked corridor. Students were scattering around in several directions. Prefects, faculty, and staff were calling out directions and it appeared that all were gathering in the Great Hall. She felt a hand on her back.

“Sibyll. I have not the slightest idea where that came from or if it was merely a show, but for now, let us call me a believer. We best be getting to the Great Hall to ensure the students are safe. An army of Trolls that hold a grudge against the school and our beloved Albus are coming up from the south edge of the grounds as we speak. For the life of me I cannot figure out why you chose to wait to tell me that until your way out the door.”

Trelawney stood shocked, not quite understanding what had happened. She felt McGonagall take hold of her hand and lead her down the corridor.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at [hh_writersblock](http://hh-writersblock.livejournal.com/) on LiveJournal.


End file.
